Lemonated
by I-blew-up-the-council
Summary: My version of the season 2 finale. Wade is looking for Zoe after the emergency landing of the plane. Lemon is tired of them not getting it together again. And everyone knows - Lemon on a mission is a force of nature, right! She might be slightly out of character, but someone has to talk some sense into Zoe and Wade! Story is WAY better than summery. Please review, thanks!


**Author's note:  
**I'm a girl from Germany so my native language is german.  
I hope my english doesn't suck too bad, but I just can't think about "Hart of Dixie" in german... it's not possible. :-)

Reviews are always appreciated!

**Disclaimer:  
**I own nothing!  
At least nothing remotely related to the awesome show "Hart of Dixie"... it's sad, but it's true.

„Good lord, Wade! I swear, if you continue tapping on that stirring wheel for one more second, I'll freak out!"

Wade stopped the tapping and tightened his grip. He took a deep breath and tried to speed up a bit, but his old car had already reached its limit.

Lemon looked at him. He looked miserable. He was heartbroken and nervous. And he was hurt. And Lemon knew, if you could read Wade Kinsella like the open book he was these days – it was bad! He didn't let anybody see the real Wade behind the cocky attitude, those carefully built up walls and the charming smile.

"Wade, you'll get her back. I promise… I know it!" Lemon announced all of a sudden.

Wade shot her a puzzled look. "Where did that come from and how on earth would you know Lemon? You don't know me, you don't know Zoe and you don't know JACK about our feelings!"

Lemon didn't expect him to yell at her and needed a few seconds to regain her composure.

"Sorry, that came out a bit harsh…"

"No, no… it's okay. But see, you're wrong, I know you and Zoe alright…! I may not be your biggest fan and lord knows Zoe Hart is not my BFF, but heartbreak… oh, I know about that!" Lemon shifted in her seat so she faced Wade. "Look Wade, I know we haven't been close friends or something, but we've know each other for years. And as I told you earlier, you've changed for the better since you met Zoe.

After George left me at the altar I was devastated. I didn't know what to do with my life, I've never really been single before. When I started the business with Annabeth my daddy told me I would be "Lemon 2.0". The new and improved version. And you are "Wade 2.0" now. Look at you… you own a bar…"

"Co-own…" Wade interrupted.

"Co-own… fair enough." Lemon smiled at him. "But still… you are not the crappy bartender anymore, who lures a different girl into his bed every night!"

Wade seemed to think about that. And in fact, he knew it was true. He HAD changed. And the thing was – he hadn't changed FOR Zoe, but because of Zoe. He wanted to be Wade 2.0 for her. Hell he'd even be Wade 10.0 if it meant she could forgive him.

"And for the record… you don't have to worry about George anymore." Lemon continued her speech. "Sure, there may have been feelings on both sides. But George never had REAL feelings for her. He thought he did and that gave him an out when we were about to get married. But then, Zoe chose you, Wade! She told George to date other women and chose you, because she had feelings for you! Not him! And her declaration of love the other night?! Total nonsense! She tried so desperate to feel better after you guys broke up, that she did a crazy thing! I'm sure she regretted it right after she said it. Look… I may not be the best person to give relationship advice, nor do I like Dr. Hart very much. But that's just not necessary, to see that her feelings for you are just as strong and deep as your feelings for her."

When Lemon said that, she felt the car slowing down. She looked back at the road and saw a small diner. In the parking lot parked a rental car. The odds to find another one of these in the middle of nowhere here in Alabama were minimal.

Wade parked his car behind the diner. Lemon could tell that he was beyond nervous.

"Wade, look at me!" she said with determination. Which – if you knew Lemon Breeland – wasn't a good thing most of the time. She touched his arm lightly and when Wade made eye contact with her, she announced "Let's go get your girl back Wade Kinsella!"

"Oh no, you gotta be kiddin' me!"

"Well, well… Wade Kinsella. What are you doin' out here man? Oh wait, let me guess… you try to win back Zoe's heart. Oh, that's just so romantic! But see, she's on the road with me now and we don't need Tyra Banks to tell us who gets the photo and who has to go home."

"I really hate you, you know that, right…?!" Wade growled and closed the distance between him and Jonah Breeland. They were standing face to face and Wade was more than ready and willing to ruin that pretty face Jonah was so proud of.

"Guys, would you please stop! Jonah, don't be an ass! And you…" Lemon pointed at Wade "Wade 2.0! Focus!"

Wade took a step back, shot Jonah one last death-stare and took a seat in an empty booth.

"I have to go to the Ladies room. Try not to kill each other while I'm gone!" Lemon said to both of them before walking off towards the restrooms. When she didn't see Zoe in the diner, there was only one place she could be.

"How can one have to pee that much?" Wade yelled after her and rolled his eyes in annoyance.

Zoe was just trying to fix her messy plane-hair when the restroom door flew open. She jumped and when she turned around to yell at whoever had to storm in here like that, she froze. "Lemon? What the hell are you doing here?"

Lemon put on her sweetest smile and strolled towards Zoe… She looked into the mirror and pretended to check her lipgloss.

"What a coincidence runnin' into you guys here in the middle of nowhere." She almost sang in that annoyingly high voice. She turned around to face Zoe, still smiling. "To answer your question: I am on a road-trip. With Wade!"

"With W… What?" Zoe was shocked. Lemon and Wade? On a road-trip? "Not that we were best friends or… friends at all, but I would suppose you HATE road-trips?!"

"Yeah, well… but that's what new couples do, right!? To have some time together, away from the prying eyes of Bluebell, away from annoying neighbours, more annoying sisters and over-protective fathers…" she told Zoe nonchalantly.

"NEW COUPLES?!" Zoe had to sit down on the massive silver trash can behind her which was bubbling over with used paper towels… But she couldn't care less…! Wade and Lemon?! Of all people? She had to suppress a loud scream – and her gag reflex. Why would Wade date Lemon? Zoe knew for a fact that she annoyed him to death! Then again… they owned the Rammer Jammer together. And ever since the break-up, Zoe wasn't around much. Or say – at all. Maybe they grew closer over the last few weeks.

Clearly, Wade's feelings for her couldn't have been as strong as she had hoped. Otherwise, he wouldn't have cheated on her, right? Lemon and Wade saw eachother every day, all day long. So maybe, they worked it out. Maybe they became friends and then… more than friends. Zoe shivered at the mere thought.

"What is this… some weird way of history repeating itself just in a screwed up alternate universe? George leaves you at the altar because he has feelings for me and now you steal my boyfriend?!"

"EX boyfriend… and excuse me, but what's there to steal? Wade made a mistake, you broke up with him, you two are over!"

"We're not over Lemon! We are FAR from over!" Zoe shouted. She got angrier by the second. She didn't know why, though. Lemon was right. She dumped Wade after what he did to her because she couldn't forgive him. And because she couldn't trust him anymore. So he was free to do whatever he wanted and whoever he wanted. Be it a random groupie-slut or Lemon freakin' Breeland.

"You can't just float around like you are the princess of the damn town and own everything! And if you happen to find a tiny little piece that's not in possession of her majesty Lemon Breeland – you just take it! You don't care about other people's feelings! Your only concern is to get everything you want!" Zoe was in full flow but she had to take a breath eventually…

"You done?"

"NO! I'm not done! You can't be together with Wade!"

"And why's that?" Lemon asked, trying to provoke Zoe.

"I don't know…" Zoe snapped. "You just can't!"

"I know why." Lemon stated. "You still have feelings for him."

"How would you know? A) You don't know me like… at all! B) You not even like me, so why would you care? You hate me and that goes both ways sister." Zoe told her, gesturing wildly with her hand between the two women.

"You're right. I don't like you very much and I don't know much about you. But I know how it feels to be heartbroken. I know how it feels to lose the man you love. And I know that you love Wade. Everyone knows it. Only you two knuckleheads seem to ignore the fact, that you are madly in love with eachother."

"No, that's not true. I don't love him! I can't love him. He cheated on me! That's THE worst thing to do in a serious relationship! And the fact that he did, proves that he doesn't love me either. Otherwise he wouldn't have done it!"

"Look Zoe… You know I betrayed George. I cheated on him and unlike Wade it wasn't a one-time thing for me. I had an affair with Lavon. And I lied to George's face much longer that Wade tried to hide his mistake from you. And still, George could find it in his heart to forgive me. When I tried to win this stupid contest with him and almost fell off the church's rooftop, he came to rescue me. He was so afraid he would lose me that he couldn't deny his feelings any longer. He still loved me. He forgave me. And considering your reaction to me pretending having a relationship with Wade, you still have really strong feelings for him."

Zoe frowned… as much as she didn't like the fact that Lemon could be right – she just was! And that made her even angrier… "I do have strong feelings for him. I hate him! I really hate him! He broke my heart, Lemon! He did the one thing, that he knew I couldn't forgive because it's the one thing everyone expected him to do! Everyone told me I would just be one of many… and I wanted to believe they were wrong. I wanted to believe we had something special! So it stung even more, when I found out!"

"But you did have something special. I've known Wade my whole life. And never – ever – has he looked at a girl the way he looks at you. I've never seen him happier and at the same time more vulnerable. When I drove here with him, his emotions were all over the place. I could read him like an open book. He HAS changed, Zoe. And it's because of you. You two make eachother better persons.

See, I was the one who cheated on George. And even though I didn't end it instantly – like Wade did – I've been hurt, too. I knew, that cheating on George was the most terrible thing to do. And yet, I did it. And I also knew, that it would hurt George if he'd find out someday. And that also hurt me. Wade is devastated Zoe! I've never seen him like that. I mean, he didn't even try to pretend everything was okay at Tom and Wanda's wedding. He had to wipe away his tears every now and then so that no one would see he was crying.

So you are not the only one with a broken heart. Talk to him. Maybe you'll find it in you heart, to give him a second chance like George did with me. And I know for a fact, that Wade would NEVER leave you at the altar!" Lemon smiled a small, genuine smile, touched Zoe's arm lightly and headed towards the door to leave the Ladies room.

"Lemon?" Zoe called and Lemon turned around again. "The why did you do it? Why did you cheat on George?"

"Because I was afraid. I was afraid that he wouldn't come back to me once he was living in New York. I felt lost and lonely and I tried to feel loved again. And Lavon and I have actually been in love back than. As with Wade and his groupie? The whole thing meant nothing to him. He was devastated because he lost this contest and he thought he'd lose you too, once you found out he couldn't make it. So he fell back into his old pattern and did the only thing he could think of. It sure was a stupid thing to do, but you know the "old Wade"… he wasn't thinking very much before he got involved with you. I'm sure that there's not a thing in the world, that Wade would regret more."

Zoe had tears in her eyes. She didn't know Wade was suffering just as much as she did. She decided to have that talk with Wade now. She had to get it over with. Now was as good or as bad as ever.

She rushed out into the diner and came to a halt in front of the table Wade was sitting at. "Could we talk? Outside?" she asked and left the diner without waiting for him. Wade shot Lemon a puzzled look before he followed Zoe. When he couldn't find her anywhere, he checked behind the diner, where he'd parked his car. There she was, leaning against the hood of his car, looking just as perfect as always. With every step he took in her direction, he got more nervous. He didn't really know what to say or how she'd react.

When he stood in front of her, they locked eyes for a few seconds before Zoe looked away. „Look Zoe..." Wade began „I know I did a terrible, terrible thing. I know I REALLY hurt you and I can't tell you how sorry I am for that!" His voice was nearly breaking and he had to swallow hard. Zoe looked back at him.

Lemon might have been right. He really looked miserable and hurt. „Then why did you do it Wade?" she asked him with tears in her eyes.

„I honestly don't know. I told you, I was in a dark place and I was drunk. You got me that sign for my bar and told me, you believed in me and that you would support me realising my dreams. And that kinda freaked me out." Zoe still looked at him. This time, she would hold the eye contact. And she thought she saw something snap in his eyes.

„But maybe, you even did me a favour by breaking up with me. I was devastated! Like... I hit rock bottom. Royally. But then I decided that I wanted to be that man, that you've always seen. I wanted to be the best version of myself and I wanted to prove to you, to myself and to everybody else, that I could do it. And I did... I co-own the Rammer Jammer and I promise you, Zoe Hart, I will always be there for you. In every possible way. You can count on me, I won't - under any circumstances – let you down again. Maybe you can forgive me one day... and until that day comes – I'll wait for you and be the man you saw in me back then."

Zoe still hadn't looked away but she had to wipe away a few tears. She was really touched by his speech. And she knew, she had to say something, too.

„You know, when I realized what you had done, my heart broke. Like, literally broke into pieces. I couldn't imagine why you would do that. Not only that you must have known, that this was the one thing I couldn't forgive you, but it was what everyone else expected from you and what everyone told me would happen eventually. And I tried so hard, to convince everyone – including me – that we had something special. That I wouldn't be one of many. But then, all of this happened and I felt betrayed by you and by myself because I wanted to believe that you were better, that we were better."

„But we were, Doc. We are... Look, I know this doesn't really mean anything now, but losing you was the hardest thing for me after my mum's death. You were the only girl I ever really, truly felt something for. And when you dumped me, I was heartbroken, too. And the most painful part was, that it was entirely my fault. This thing between us, it's the most special thing I've ever felt. Remember when we started our casual sex thing? You asked me if we could do it monogamous and I agreed, pretending to do it for your sake. But the truth is... I didn't! I did it because the second you invited me into your house the night of wedding, it's only been you for me." Wade told her with a certainty and sincerity in his eyes, that she had to believe him. She didn't have a fraction of a doubt that he was telling the absolute truth.

„I love you, Zoe Hart... You don't have to say anything , I just wanted you to know that."

Zoe gasped and stared at him in shock, tears already welling up in her eyes again. Wade Kinsella declaring his love? Who could've seen that one coming? She blinked a few times to push the tears away and swallowed hard.

„Lemon talked to me earlier. She came into the Ladies room and told me, that the two of you would be together and that you would be on a roadtrip to have some "lovebirdy" time for yourself, away from all those prying eyes in Bluebell..."

„Excuse me, she did what?!" Wade asked in disbelief and ran his hand across his head. „You happen to have your scalpel with you Doc, I gotta kill someone..."

Zoe touched his arm to calm him down and both of them backed away from the contact. It was like electricity running through their veines. When Zoe regained her composure she said „Relax. She was on some kind of mission or something. She tried to provoke me to admit something to myself.

I still have feelings for you, Wade. Strong feelings, that go really deep. I can't shake them, I can't shake you. You've gotten under my skin, you know. When Lemon told me you two would be together, I freaked. Believe me, I almost would have needed that scalpel myself. I couldn't stand the thought that you could be with another woman. But you hurt me so much, it goes really really deep. I'll need some time to get over that, I can't forget it."

„I know..." Wade put a stray strand of hair back behind Zoe's ear and she was leaning into the touch almost unintentionally.

„I'm just so scared Wade. How am I supposed to ever trust you again? I'm always so insecure and now, it's even worse. You are so self-confident... when everyone expected me to choose between you and George, you knew I had feelings for him but still, you did nothing to push me or to manipulate me into choosing you. And when I made my choice, everyone still waited for me to fall back into George's arms as soon as we met, you've never been jealous. How did you do that? I want to be like that... strong, confident, never unsure of being the only girl for you…"

„You think I wasn't jealous of Tucker?" Wade laughed. „Hell Zoe, I was BEYOND jealous!" Zoe looked shocked. She had no idea...

„Every time you guys laughed about some lame-ass joke I didn't get or talked enthusiastically about a movie I couldn't care less about, I was raging inside. I've never been sure that I was the only guy for you. George Tucker has always been hovering above our heads and I was scared that, as soon as he would be single again and make a move, you'd be rushing back towards him. What you kinda did when you told him you think he's the one for you a few days ago..."

„Yeah, that..." Zoe looked at the ground where she was creating patterns of tiny holes with her heels. „I didn't mean any of that... I don't know where that came from, but I can assure you, I was not in my right mind! And I didn't know you felt that way about George, why did you never say anything?!"

„I don't know... maybe I thought I would just push you even more in his direction by bringing it up..."

„So... let me sum this up... we're both heartbroken, you were freaking out because I believed in you, I was freaking out because I wasn't sure of being the only girl for you, you were jealous because of the whole „Zeorge"-thing..."

„Please don't say that, I hate those made-up couple names..." Wade cringed.

„...so we are basically two insecure and scared people, who made huge mistakes that made eachother even more miserable and heartbroken...?!"

„Yup... that's basically it..." Wade confirmed, not sure this was the best idea he ever had.

„But we..." Zoe took a few deep breathes... „We also love eachother, right?!"

Wade's glance shot in her direction immediately... He looked at her in disbelief, did she really just say she loved him?

„I'm still so, so scared Wade. But both of us made mistakes that really hurt us... and I can't forget what you did, but maybe I can find a way to forgive you. Because I love you, too... Wade Kinsella!"

Wade was glued to the spot... he couldn't move, he couldn't think. After everything he put her through, she loved him...

„Wade?! Would you please kiss me or something?"

That put him out of his trance. He closed the gap between him and Zoe in one swift move, cupped her face with his hands and kissed her with all the love he held for her. When they broke the kiss he smiled against her lips and spun her around a few times.

„You won't regret this baby, I swear! I will do ANYTHING to help you forgive me and I will be worthy of your love and your trust one day."

„I know you will Wade. We can make this work together. I love you!"

„Love you too baby!"

„Hey Zoe, you could've done so much better with me... but at least I got to see your boobs!" Jonah shouted from the diner and got slapped in the neck be Lemon for that.

„Just... let him be..." Zoe said smiling and turned Wade's face back to look him in the eye again before they lost themselves in another kiss.


End file.
